Matt Irzyk delivers a pitch for the Westfield High School baseball team. Could Irzyk be available for an inning or two in Wednesday’s state semifinal? (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Mother Nature may prove to be Lady Luck for the Westfield High School baseball team.
Rain pushed back the state Division I baseball final one day, allowing for an additional day of rest. This could go a long way in helping out Westfield, which saw pitcher Brent Houle get 10 innings of work over a four day span, and Matt Irzyk start Sunday’s Western Mass championship game.
“Another day’s rest is a little bit of gold in the bank,” Westfield coach Rich Discenza said.
Coach Discenza has not announced a starter yet for Wednesday night’s state semifinal game between Westfield and Central champ Nashoba (20-3) at Tivnan Field in Worcester, beginning at 7. All indications are that any pitcher from the staff could get the nod at any point in the nine-inning game.
“Our approach is that this is the most important game of the season,” Discenza said. “We’re not worried about (the finals). If we take that attitude, we could leave ourselves at the gate and not at the ballpark.”
This is Westfield’s third state semifinal appearance in Discenza’s five-year head coaching career at the school. The Bombers have won four WMass championships in the last six years, having won under coach Jim Jachym in 2008.
The state tournament also presents a different challenge to Division I teams from the western half of the state, who play seven innings all season, including the Western Mass playoffs, but then must play nine in two games to win a state title.
“Nine innings gives us two more innings of at-bats,” Discenza said, “but we also need to defend those two innings.”
The defense that rests Wednesday may be the one which has its season come to a conclusion.
